Scoop-shovel vehicle



E. B. WAGNER SCOOP-SHOVEL VEHICLE April 10., 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 19, 1947 2 4 w 5 4 3 x W w H M 4/0 w v m WN b Q/ I J v I m: v A 1 t t 1 l l ll lllllV H. a a I INVENTOR Eddie B. M/agnefl April. 0, 1951 E. a. WAGNER 2,548,084

SCOOP-SHOVEL VEHICLE v Filed Sept. 19, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. [do/[e B. h/a ner' By/gi & W

I A i-tor'neg April 10, 1951 E. B; WAGNER 2,548,034

' SCOOP-SHOVEL VEHICLE Filed Sept. 19, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR. Eddie 5. Wayne!" {if K M April 10, 1951 E. B. WAGNER 2,

' SCOOP-SHOVEL VEHICLE Filed Sept. 19, 1947 I '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1/2 9a A as l we 1 I30 I60 I33 o 10 I40 a 7 a4 42 I A32 I46 14/ M7 14: I46

I 144 I INVENTOR. f y Eddie B. Wagner A 2? torney Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCOOP-SHOVEL VEHICLE Eddie B. Wagner, Portland, oreg. Application September 19, 1947, Serial No. 775,089

7 Claims.

My present invention relates to automative scoop vehicles and means for insuring the filling of the scoop of a material handling scoop mechnow Patent No. 2,503,180, granted April 4, 1950.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby a scoop may be completely filled at each scooping movement thereof. It is well known that when using ordinary scoop mechanisms the scoop may appear to be fully loaded when in proximity to the pile of material being transported, but when the scoop is lifted from the pile of material most of the material which appeared to be in the scoop falls back onto the ground. It is an object of my invention to so arrange a scoop operating mechanism that a full load is assured at each scooping movement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means whereby a mobile or automotive scoop may pick up a full load at each scooping movement without the necessity of ramming or bucking the scoop into the pile of material. The present invention comprises a scoop device which not only may be elevated or lowered, and not only may be moved from material holding position to dumping position, but which is movable forwardly into the base of a pile of material while the vehicle or supporting structure to which the scoop is attached remains stationary. A further object of the present invention therefore is to prolong the life of an. automotive scoop vehicle by eliminating any necessity for subjecting the mechanism to severe shocks and strainssuch as would be occasioned by ramming or bucking the scoop into a pile of material. r

A further object of the present invention is to provide a scoop which may be lowered to the ground in scooping relation to a pile of material and then moved into the material while the cutting edge of the scoop remains closely adjacent the ground level. Many prior art devices include a scoop or bucket which may be swung into the base of a pile of material but all such devices include means whereby the cutting'edge ofthe scoop'travels upwardly along an arcuate path,

with the result that the scoop is not always filled with material since the cutting edge soon moves out of the pile of material. An advantage of the present invention is that, if desired the scoop may be so handled as to move the cutting edge through an arcuate path, but normally the cutting edge of the scoop moves in a lineal path parallel to the ground, or at least in a path such that the cutting edge remains close to the ground, during the operation of entering the material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automotive scoop having the foregoing advantages of which all parts are sturdy and rugged, and may be economically manufactured of readily procurable materials andparts.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automotive scoop vehicle with means for insuring that the vehicle may remain stationary while the scoop is being extended into the material to be scooped.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from an inspection of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, while the features of novelty will be more distinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. l is a partial view taken substantially along line il of Fig. 3, showing a vehicle with a scoop in full lines in position to commence a scooping operation, and in broken lines when in elevated, material holding and dumping positions;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the scoop in full lines at the termination of a scooping movement and in broken lines when in a material holding position; v

Fig. 3 is a bottom view looking upward beneath the automotive vehicle of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partialy broken-away view of a side of the vehicle of Fig. 1 showing control means for the hydraulic scoop pushing mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified form of vehicle incorporating a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a partial view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the section line 6-45 of Fi 5;

Fig. '7 is a vertical section on a reduced scale taken substantially along line 'll of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the mechanism in a different operating phase.

A vehicle similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 such as could be utilized for the present invention is more particularly illustrated in the aforementioned application, Serial No. 716,696, the vehicle comprising forward, spaced wheel assemblies Ill and II and a rear steering wheel (not herein illustrated). Preferably the vehicle is modified somewhat similar to the vehicle disclosed in the above identified application, Serial No. 756,224, so that the forward wheel assemblies l and I are supported upon short driving shafts 2 and I3, respectively, which are journaled in longitudinally extending hollow frame members I4 and I5, through which extend driving means from a rear-wardly located transmission and differential mechanism (not shown). Such driving mechanism is not herein illustrated since it is extraneous to the present invention and mechanism of the preferred type may be readily incorporated in a vehicle after studying the disclosure of the aforementioned application, Serial No. 756,224. Also, various other types of vehicles may be utilized and have incorporated thereon the mechanism of the present invention.

At the forward corners of the frame portions I 4 and I5 there are provided a pair of vertically extending trunnion cradles I6, only one of which is herein illustrated, it being obvious that the other may be identical. At the upper ends of the trunnion cradles |6 trunnions I! are provided which support a rocking frame l8 including a pair of vertical L-beam tracks |9. Suitable bars 20 extend from the ends of each L-beam I!) to the free end of a central king post 2| in which the trunnion I1 is journaled. The short legs of the L-beams l9 lie in a substantially vertical plane parallel to the front of the vehicle and point outwardly to provide tracks upon which opposed pairs of carriage wheels 22 and 23 are guided. The wheels 22 engage the rear surfaces of the guiding flanges and the wheels 23 engage the front surfaces thereof, the wheels 22 being located above the wheels 23 and both being mounted upon side plates of a scoop supporting carriage 25. The upper end of the frame l8 supports cable guiding means such as pulley 26, there being a pair of such pulleys, one for the reception of a carriage hoisting cable 21, and the other for the reception of a scoop controlling cable 28. The cable 28 passes downward through an opening 29 in a horizontal deck plate 30 and is wrapped about a drum 3| mounted upon a shaft 32 extending between the frame portions l4 and I5; while the cable 21 passes through a similar opening 33 in deck plate 30 and is wound about a drum 34 also mounted upon the shaft 32. As disclosed in the above identified application Serial No. 716,696, the cable 21 may be attached to the upper end of the carriage 25 while the cable 28 passes about guiding means on the carriage including pulley 35 and is then attached to the upper edge of the rear wall of a scoop 36 pivoted to the carriage on pintles 31 adjacent the lower rear corners of the scoop. The forward edge of the scoop is preferably provided with a cutting blade 38 to facilitate entry of the scoop into the piled material.

The operation of the carriage and control of the scoop will be more fully understood by reference to the aforesaid application, Serial No. 716,696, wherein it is disclosed that the cable 21 may be operated independently of the cable 28 to hold the carriage at any position along the vertical members l9 or permit its descent by gravity. Also, at any point in the travel of the scoop along the members IS the cable 28 may be controlled or operated to hold the scoop 35 in a material holding position such as illustrated at A, or to release the scoop so that it falls by theforce of gravity to a material dumping position, such as illustrated at B, or to scooping position such as illustrated at C. As seen in Fig. l, the cable 2'! has been released until the carriage 25 has moved toward the lower end of the members l9 and the cable 28 has been released so that the sloping front side of the scoop 36 rests upon the ground. With the scoop in such position the vehicle may be driven forward until the scoop has substantially entered the pile of material. If this is done gently without ramming or bucking the pile a partial load of material could be elevated by manipulating cable 28 to cause the scoop to assume the material holding position. As explained in the aforesaid application, Serial No. 716,696, when the cable 28 is wound upon the drum 3| the first result will be to raise the scoop to a vertical position, but as soon as the back wall of the scoop contacts the front wall of the carriage continued winding movement of the drum 3| causes the carriage to move upward along the tracks l9.

In the modification of Figs. 1 to 4 a full load is assured at each operation of the scoop by the following mechanism. A pivot bar 4|] extending between the frame portions I4 and I5 supports a tubular member 4| to which is welded a triangular plate 42 having a truncated forward extremity which is welded to the rear end of a cylinder 43. A piston 44 extending from the for ward end of the cylinder 43 is welded to the rear wardly pointing truncated end of a triangular plate 45, the forward edge of which is welded to a tubular member 46 journaled upon a pivot rod 41 extending between the lower ends of the track members IS. A tube or pipe 50 extends from the rear end of the cylinder 43 into the hollow frame portion |5 through an opening 5| and is connected to a valve 52 including a alve stem 53 connected to a flexible cable 54 extending fromsome point on the vehicle accessible to the operator thereof. The valve 52 communicates with a second tube 55 connecting with a return tube 56 extending through an opening 51 and leading to a fluid storage tank (not herein illustrated). The inlet end of the valve is connected by a tube 58 to the outlet side of a fluid pump 60 having an intake tube 6| which extends through an opening 62 into the storage tank. The pump 60 is operated by a shaft 65 having a pulley 66 thereon about which extend belts 68 passing through an. opening 69 and about driving means such as pulleys on the automotive vehicle engine crankshaft (not shown). Tubes 56 and 58 are connected through a lay-pass including a pressure relief valve 10 which may be set to open at any desired pressure. The details of the valves 52' and 16 are not herein illustrated inasmuch as many valves of suitable type are well known to those skilled in the art. f

The operation of the hydraulic mechanism is as follows: When the scoop has been driven into the material as far as possible without straining any portion of the mechanism the vehicle is arrested and the cable 54 pulled to cause the output of the pump to flow through tube 50 into cylinder 43, thereby extending the piston 44 and causing the frame I8 to rock about the trunnion pivots When the piston 44 has reached the forward extent of its movement the pressure in the system will build up to such an extent that relief valve 10 will open and cause the fluid to return to the storage tank. The relief valve is set to open at 01 a Pressure that the scoop may be retained were.

in a forwardly achieved position. If the cable 54 is now released to permit valve stem 53 to return to its normal position the tube .50 Will be disconnected from the output side of the pump and the tube 55 will be connected thereto so that the pump forces the fluid directly into the storage tank. A third connection from the valve 52 is simultaneously opened to permit drainage of the fluid from the interior of the cylinder 43 to the storage tank (such connection not being herein illustrated).

In the preferred operation of the device the scoop is first positioned as illustrated at C. The hydraulic cylinder is then operated to move the scoop to the position illustrated at D. Thereafter and while the cylinder is still extended the cable 28 may be wound upon drum 3|, first to move the scoop to the position illustrated at E and then to elevate the scoop and carriage along the tracks l9. While the carriage is traveling upward, or before it starts to move upward, the cable 54 may be released to cause the frame l8 to swing back to the vertical position. The weight of the scoop, empty or loaded, is sufficient to cause counterclockwise rocking of the frame l8 to its normal, vertical position. Should the operator fail to release the cable winding mechanism be fore the carriage reaches the top of the frame I8 the frame may swing clockwise only to the extent permitted by the piston 44. Preferably, however, a safety device is incorporated to stop the winding drum 3| and lock the holding drum 34 when the carriage reaches a predetermined maximum height. Such a safety device (not herein illustrated) is fully described and shown in the aforesaid application Serial No. 716,696.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an important advantage of the present invention. In Fig. 1 it will be seen that when the scoop is in position C the carriage 25 is somewhat above the lower end of the frame Hi. When the piston 44 is extended the distance between pulley 26 and drum 3| decreases, thereby permitting an increase in the distance between pulley 26 and carriage 25. If cable 28 is held against movement when the scoop is at position C no further manipulation of the scoop or carriage is required to permit the scoop to move into the pile of material while the cutting edge 38 moves in a substantially linear path closely adjacent the ground, rather than in an arcuate path as would be the case with prior art devices.

It is likewise to be appreciated that the scoop may be moved to position D whereupon the cable 54 may be manipulated to permit drainage'of the cylinder 43, but due to the resistance of the ground against the partially loaded scoop the frame l8 may remain in extended position until the vehicle is driven forward. When the vehicle has been driven forward the cylinder 43 may be again subjected to pressure to assure full loadin of the scoop. I

It may also be seen that the scoop may be caused to travel through an arcuate path by taking up the cable 28 while the piston 44 is be ing extended, and that the scoop may operate to dig a cut in a steep bank by winding in the cable 28 with or without extension of piston 44, and with or without forward movement of the vehicle.

The modification disclosed in Figs, to S inelusive comprises a vehicle including a single rear steering wheel 80 and spaced pairs of forward driving wheels BI whichare driven by float ing axles enclosed in an axle and differential housing 82 into which extends the propeller shaft 83 extending forwardly from the engine 84. A

drivers cab 85 is mounted at one forward corner of the vehicle over one of the front sets of wheels 8! so that the occupant thereof may have clear view toward the front of the vehicle and into. the scoop or other device carried by the vehicle. Suitable controls for operating the vehicle and the material handling device are provided within the cab 85, such controls not being herein illustrated. A pair of vertical posts 86 mounted at the front corners of the chassis of the vehicle extend upward and support an upper fixed section of track 81 at each corner of the vehicle. Braces 88 and 89 extend rearwardly from the bottom and top of the track sections 81 to the top of a vertical post 90 and a downwardly extending brace 9|. Suitable cross members such as the angle bar 92 may i be extended between the frames thus provided at each side edge of the vehicle to form a sturdy support for the upper track sections 81.

The track sections 81 are so mounted as to have their forward flanges in a vertical plane extendingforwardly of the front edge of the chassis.

The lower ends of the track sections 81 are rounded and support pivot pins 93 at the center of curvature of the round ends. Lower swinging track sections 94 depend from the pivot pins 93 and are provided with round concave ends to match the convex ends of the upper track sections. The track sections 81 and 94 may be of any suitable shape such as the T-bars herein illustrated, the leg of the T extending rearwardly to provide flanges for attaching the ends of cross bars such as bars 95 (Fig. 6) whereby a swinging frame pivoted at a point spaced above the chassis is provided. The arms of the T-bars lie in the same plane and provide guiding surfaces for upper, rear carriage wheels 96 and lower, front carriage wheels 91 mounted upon the side plates 98 of a carriage 99. The inwardly extending arms of the T-bars provide guides fora pair of guiding wheels I00 projecting rearwardly from the rear surface of the carriage 99 so as to prevent binding of the carriage at any position along the swinging frame or the fixed track sections.

The carriage 99 is provided with pintles I95 at its front lower corners upon which may be mounted a scoop I96 or other material handling device. The carriage 99 is provided with guiding pulleys such as the pulley I01 about which extends a cable [98 having its forward end attached to the upper rear edge of the scoop N16. The cable I08 extends about a cable guiding pulley H9 mounted adjacent the upper ends of the fixed track sections 81 and from there extends downwardly to a drum ill. The drum HI may be operated to control the position of the car riage vertically of the track and the relative position of the scoop to the carriage as explained in the aforesaid application, Serial No. 716,696. The cable I08 is preferably passed about a second guiding pulley H2 mounted at the junction of the brace 88 and post 88, but such second guiding pulley may be eliminated if desired. In order that the cable IE3 may be slacked off to permit movement of the scoop to dumping position while the carriage 99 is held at'any height above the ground a carriage braking cable H3 is fixed to the rear surface of the carriage 99, extends upward over a pulley (not shown) coaxial with the pulley Hi), and from there extends to a carriage braking drum H4 coaxial with the scoop control drum III.

In order that the frame provided by tracks 54 may be swung outwardly to cause the scoop to enter into piled materials the lower end of each track section 94 is pivotally attached to the outer end of a long rack I having teeth on its upper edge. The inner end of each rack is maintained in engagement with a pinion I2I mounted at the lower end of a swinging support including spaced plates I22 and I23. The rack is held in contact with the gear I2I by a support I24 pivotally mounted upon the axle of the gear I2I and carrying cross bars I25 upon which may be mounted. rollers (not shown) for engaging the bottom surface of the rack I20. The upper ends of the plates I 22 and I23 are pivotally mounted upon a cross shaft I26 suitably journaled in the chassis of the vehicle. The gear I2I is driven when desired by a sprocket chain I30 passing about a sprocket on shaft I26 and a sprocket I3I fixed to the shaft of gear I2I. The shaft I26 is driven by a sprocket chain I32 passing about a sprocket I33 on shaft I26 and a sprocket I34 extending laterally from a reduction gear box I35. The reduction gear box includes gears driven by any suitable connection to the engine 84, such as belts connected to the crank shaft extension which mounts the pulley for driving the water pump and fan (not shown). The shaft I36 may be intermittently connected to the gears inreduction gear box I by any suitable control means such as a clutch I3'I schematically indicated. Details of means for connecting the reduction gears to the engine when desired are thought to be unnecessary for an understanding of the present invention. Details of suitable means which may be modified or adapted for the purpose may be ascertained from the aforementioned application, Serial No. 756,224. The reduction gears may be driven by other means or the shaft I26 may be rotated by other means and still have the construction remain within the purview of the present invention.

The supporting plates I23 are provided with forwardly directed extensions to which are pivotally attached the upper ends of substantially vertical links I40 which extend downwardly between vertical flanges I4I rising from substantially horizontal grouser plates I42, the links I40 being pivotally attached to the flanges I4I at I43. A pair of abutment pins I44 extend be tween the flanges and are spaced from the lower end edges of the link I40 to prevent more than a limited swinging movement of the grouser plate. The grouser plate is preferably provided with a plurality of depending teeth or cleats I45 adapted to be driven into the ground when the grouser plate is lowered into contact with the ground. A substantially horizontal link I46 is pivoted to the grouser plate I 42 and to a bracket I41 mounted on the chassis of the vehicle. A heavy coil spring I50 is tensioned between the upper end of each link I40 and the track support, preferably adjacent the junction of post 86 and bar 88.

The lower extremities of the arms of the T- bars 94 are preferably directed rearwardly as indicated at I5I (Fig. 8) for a purpose to be described.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows: With the swinging frame in line with the upper track sections as seen in Fig. '7 the carriage 99 may be lowered until the pintles I05 are closely adjacent the ground. The braking drum II4 may be locked and the control drum III released so that the weight of the scoop I06 causes it to fall forward into contact with the ground as seen in Fig-7. Thereupon the pinion gears I2I may be driven with the first result .that they swinging supports therefor will swing rearwardly as the resistance of the pile of material and the weight of the scoop and track sections tend to hold the scoop stationary. The swinging of the support causes downward movement of vertical links I40 to drive the grousers into contact with the ground as seen in Fig. 5. When further movement of the grousers is impossible continued movement of the pinions I2I results in the racks I20 being extended forwardly to drive the scoop into the material as seen in full line in Fig. 8. It will be noted that the lower carriage wheels 9'! have ridden down onto the rearwardly directed portions I5I of the T-bars, thus permitting the carriage to cant and thus causing the cutting edge of the scoop to remain more closely adjacent the surface of the ground than would otherwise be possible. The movement of the cutting edge is therefore not along an arc centered at pivot 93, but along a curve more closely approaching linear movement. The downward movement of the carriage is permit ted since the distance between the upper end of the carriage and the pulley IIO shortens as the frame swings outwardly. If desired the pinions I2I may now be unclutched and the vehicle driven forward and the scoop may remain in extended position or may drop back toward the vehicle. In either event the first movement of the pinions I2I in the reverse direction may result in the grousers being lifted from the ground due to the force of the springs I50. Also the cleats I45 are preferably directed rearwardly or are provided with sloping front faces so that forward movement of the vehicle may be ac-' complished without interference from the grousers. Whenever the operator sees that the scoop is completely filled he may reverse the driving pinions I2I to cause the swinging frame to align itself with the fixed track sections 87 and while 'so doing, or before or afterwards, may wind up the cable I08. The cable I08 is wound up to lift the scoop to the material carrying position seen in dash lines in Fig. 8. Continued winding of the cable I08 on drum III while the racks I20 are being retracted, or before or after they have been retracted, will result in lifting the scoop to any desired height within the limits of the machine. The material may then be carried to any remote point by driving the vehicle with the carriage held in elevated position.- At such a remote point the drum I I I may be released while the braking drum H4 is held in locked position, with the result that the scoop swings to dumping position by the effect of gravity. As in the previous modification a vertical bank may be operated upon while swinging the tracks 94 outwardly and moving the scoop from its lowered position to its upright position, or by leaving the scoop in upright position and swing ing the tracks 94. The vehicle may be used as a bulldozer by driving the vehicle forwardly while the swinging frame remains vertical;

As in the previous modifications other forms of material handling device such as hay forks, material handling frames or concrete buckets may be substituted for the scoop herein illustrated by removing the pintles I05 and replacing the material handling device.

Having illustrated and described preferred'embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that further modifications in detail and arrangement thereof are permissible; For example; the scoop herein illustrated may be replaced by a hay fork or other form of material handling device. Also other forms of ex.-

tensible means may be substituted for the hydraulic cylinder or the rack herein disclosed. All such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims are considered to be a part of my invention.

I claim:

1. An automotive vehicle comprising a pivoted frame normally occupying a substantially vertical position and having its lower end adapted to swing toward and away from the front end of the vehicle, a material handling device mounted on said frame and adapted to assume a position adjacent the lower end of said frame, a rack pivotally attached to the lower end of said frame and extending therefrom into said vehicle, a swinging support slidably guiding said rack, a driven gear carried by said support and maintained mesh with said rack, a substantially vertical link depending from said support, a grouser supported by said link, and means to drive said gear, the foregoing construction causing rotation of said gear in one direction initially to swing said support and lower said grouser into'contact with the ground and thereafter to advance said rack and move said device forwardly.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 in combination with a second substantially horizontal link pivoted to said grouser and to said vehicle.

3. The construction set forth in claim 1 in combination with a spring tensioned between said grouser and said vehicle to raise said grouse-r during reverse rotation of said gear.

4. The construction set forth in claim 1 in which said gear driving means comprises a first sprocket coaxial with said gear, a second sprocket coaxial with the axis of rotation of said support, and a sprocket chain passing around said sprockets.

5. The construction set forth in claim 1 in which a rack guide is pivotally mounted on said support coaXia-lly with said gear.

6. The construction set forth in claim 1 in which said gear driving means comprises an angularly displaceable drive. I

7. An automotive scoop comprising a wheeled vehicle including a chassis, a vertically extend ing, rockable frame pivoted at its upper end to vehicle, a scoop or the like mounted on said frame, an extensible pusher between the chassis of the vehicle and the lower end of said frame for rocking said frame to push said scoop or the like into materials on the ground, a grouser mo able into contact with the ground to anchor the vehicle against backward movement when said scoop or the like encounters resisting materials, and motiv'e means common to said grouser and said pusher, said motive means including means operative first to lower said grouser into engagement with the ground and then to extend said pusher.

EDDIE? B. WAGNER.

REFERENCES QETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,386,911 Thomas Aug. 9, 1921 1,753,731 Abbe Apr. 8, 1930 1,926,308 Pierce Sept. 12, 1933 2,109,388 Heller Feb. 22, 1938 2,354,337 Smith July 25, 1944 2,387,764 Maxwell Oct. 30, 1945 2,421,472 Way June 3, 1947 2,437,010 Way Mar. 2, 1948 2,439,139 Le Tourneau Apr. 6, 1948 2,462,790 Van Voorhis Feb. 22, 1949 2,478,462 Decker Aug. 9, 1949 

